Drilling operators need a reliable way to measure weight-on-bit (WOB) and torque-on-bit (TOB) near a drill bit in a downhole environment. WOB and TOB may be determined from strain and shear measurements near the drill bit. However, pressure differentials in the downhole environment may induce parasitic loads (such as radial forces, axial forces, and hoop strains) on drilling members, thereby inhibiting the ability to isolate the loads associated with WOB and TOB. In some cases, these parasitic loads may be multiple times greater than the WOB and TOB measurements.